jimz66 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Very nice job on the painting. This one is shaping up very nicely. Very well done. Thanks for sharing. Great job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 (You did n't really pre-shade the word "USAF" on the right wing did you?) Yup!! Can`t show you what i put on the bottom!! This has been a tough but satisfying build so far, happy with the way its turned out up to now. Just about finished all the paintwork couple of more small things and i`ll lay on the clearcoat for decalling. No pics tonight, will post some tomorrow. Thanks for the feedback guys!! it helps keep my enthusiasm going. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
geedubelyer Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 (edited) Yup!! Can`t show you what i put on the bottom!! ............Don :) That's a first! Perhaps you'll start a trend? All sorts of words secretly pre-shaded into builds........ Stick at it Don, she's turning out beautifully :D Edited March 22, 2009 by geedubelyer Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted March 25, 2009 Author Share Posted March 25, 2009 That's a first! Perhaps you'll start a trend? All sorts of words secretly pre-shaded into builds........ :cool Hmmm, subliminal messages in modelling..... :lol: Well, i finally painted all the subassemblies. Man what a lot of work, seems like i`ve been painting and masking for the last week. Finally have everything ready for the glosscoat, should be done with that tomorrow night, a couple of days drying, then one of my favorite parts, weathering!! Just a couple of pics tonight. Finally have the main part done. All the small stuff and subassemblies ready for glosscoat. Lots of stuff!! Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimz66 Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 Looking very good Don. Looking very, very good. Great job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rube7361 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 paint scheme looks good, I am sure once you decal and finish weathering it's definitely gonna be an eye catcher. Keep it great job your almost done Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Excellent work so far! I plan on making the same bird as an F-14B (# 101), so I'm very interested in what you're doing, although I'm months behind you. One suggestion, if you're not doing it already, is to make sure you glue and putty the front windscreen, since I notice it's not on the fuselage right now. A lot of modelers add this part at the last minute and there's always an ugly gap if you don't. Keep up the great work! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Excellent work so far! I plan on making the same bird as an F-14B (# 101), so I'm very interested in what you're doing, although I'm months behind you. One suggestion, if you're not doing it already, is to make sure you glue and putty the front windscreen, since I notice it's not on the fuselage right now. A lot of modelers add this part at the last minute and there's always an ugly gap if you don't.Keep up the great work! Hey guys!! thanks for the encouragement. Helps to keep the motivation up. I see what you mean about the windscreen, chuck540z3. I just tried dryfitting it and there is a bit of a gap/step. I`ll have to think about what to do, in the past when i`ve tried to fit windscreens, it usually became an ugly and expensive mistake. Hmmmmm, what to do what to do??? Good luck on your build, these Tamiya `Cats sure are challenging. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Not to be too critical, but one of the first things I do when I look at a model is I check out the canopy fit. MOST have a gap that proves it was a last minute addition. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Not to be too critical, but one of the first things I do when I look at a model is I check out the canopy fit. MOST have a gap that proves it was a last minute addition. So what are you saying, i`m a dumba** for not checking the fit?? Huh?Huh??!! Nah!! just having fun!!! :D You are right, i should have caught that fault a long time ago. Can`t say why i missed it, musta slipped my feeble mind. Still thinking what to do. Might try to use white glue to fill then paint over. `BTW, i am a dumba** for not checking the fit :lol: :lol: Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hard to say if you're really just having fun or not, but one thing I can say, is that I'm really trying to be helpful. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hard to say if you're really just having fun or not, but one thing I can say, is that I'm really trying to be helpful. Hey Chuck, yeah i`m having fun. The internet sometimes doesn`t truly show how people feel. Believe me, i am having fun, laughing at myself for missing the gap. I have no problem with the suggestions or critique with any build i post, keep the help coming!! Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Hey Chuck, yeah i`m having fun. The internet sometimes doesn`t truly show how people feel. Believe me, i am having fun, laughing at myself for missing the gap. I have no problem with the suggestions or critique with any build i post, keep the help coming!!Don All good and thanks, because I've learned from many who've critiqued my work and I find all sorts of good info that way. Of course there's the dorks who tell you to put on the front canopy a certain way! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjo Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 (edited) Hey i have a soluution for the windscreen if u havnt done it already. Mask your windscreen, glue it on, get some tmaiya light curing putty, and you can work with this with your small finger or blunt end of a large brush to get a radius. when youve worked with it and your finally happy with the smoothness of your putty, put it out in the sun and let it dry. paint the thing and then remove the masking tape once youve cleared it a few times. i did this after the painting was done on my 1/32 revell grey bunny tomcat in this GB and also the F-14A NSAWC for the flight test/evaluation/agressor GB except with the NSAWC f-14 i already knew it might happen so it was before painting and needed to do this on the windscreen and canopy as the fit was bad on both... Hope this helps, Benny Edited March 28, 2009 by benjo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 Hello everyone!! Thanks for the ideas on fitting the windscreen. I thought about it for a while and decided to not try and fair in the area. My reason is i don`t want to take a chance of ruining the build at this point. I have a record of "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory " and i have a few expensive mistakes to prove it. Benny and chuck, i`ve been watching your respective builds; very impressive!! looking forward to seeing the F-15DJ build. Rainy weather today, so i spent the morning applying decals to the build. The Fightertown decals are a treat to use, fit was good and they applied nicely with Micro Sol. I used the decals that came with the Academy Modern US Weapons set ( AKA F-16CG/CJ kit ) for the bombs but they were poor to work with. Fit was good and they looked great on the sheet but they didn`t stick worth a darn. The Sidewinders and Phoenix got the kit decals, they worked fine. Anyway, a couple of pics below. I just have to seal them with a glosscoat, then its time for a wash. Really like this scheme, no other scheme out there that has both a sharksmouth and skull and bones. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimz66 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Looks good Don. Looks very good. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjo Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Yeap, shes really lookin the goods! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Youngtiger1 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Wow, that baby is looking nice. I can't wait to see her complete. The decals sure look nice as well and there is hardly any extra film around the edges. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Looking good Don! Great seamless looking work on those Wolfpack fairings. I fell in love with those decals too, even before Fightertown made them. If you want to see a build that's a 9/10, check out the one below. At $2,500.00 US, it better be! http://www.billmodels.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
richter111 Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Love that board with the nails popped into it. I might just have to steal your idea for my modeling table! Ric Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted April 2, 2009 Author Share Posted April 2, 2009 Looking good Don! Great seamless looking work on those Wolfpack fairings. I fell in love with those decals too, even before Fightertown made them. If you want to see a build that's a 9/10, check out the one below. At $2,500.00 US, it better be!http://www.billmodels.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5 Hello guys, thanks for the encouragement!! Really starting to enjoy my build and all the other builds. Hey chuck, yeah i did see that build. Really nice , and so are all the other builds he has done. Did you notice how he didn`t use a conversion kit to make a "D" out of an "A"? I used this build and some of his others as reference for panel lines. Nice!! The board with all the nails in it is something i did a loooog time ago. I have 4 of these and i think i need a couple more. One thing i do is clear polyurethane the boards first, that way i can rinse the dust off the boards. The "roach clips" came from Radio Shack, i remember i bought a big bulk bag of them. I I did manage to start the wash process, using the Pro Modeller weathering wash system. Lots of parts to do, i`ll be at it for a while. Some pics below. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted April 2, 2009 Share Posted April 2, 2009 Getting better by the day! One tiny, tiny, suggestion, if I may be so bold, is that you paint that tiny cutout at the front of the gun bare metal plate. I've notice about 1/2 the builds have it, half don't, and it's so easy to "fix". Here's a pic below of what I mean, and please feel free to point out any errors I'm making in my build, especially since you're so far ahead of me :lol: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted April 5, 2009 Author Share Posted April 5, 2009 Getting better by the day! One tiny, tiny, suggestion, if I may be so bold, is that you paint that tiny cutout at the front of the gun bare metal plate. I've notice about 1/2 the builds have it, half don't, and it's so easy to "fix". Here's a pic below of what I mean, and please feel free to point out any errors I'm making in my build, especially since you're so far ahead of me Okaaaaay then. This should be an easy fix. Paint, fine brush, steady hand aaaaaaand....done!!! Also touched up a few other spots. At this point i have everything painted, weathered, decalled, and sealed. Now i just have to put everything together. Hopefully i should be done by next weekend. Pics below are the weapons i`ll be hanging off this build. Don`t know if it is accurate but i like the way it looks. The Phoenix, Sidewinders, and Lantirn pod are all from the kit The GBU-12 and GBU-31 come from the Academy 1/32 F-16CG/CJ kit. The kit decals are nice looking but are a pain to use. They are too thick, inflexible and didn`t want to stick. I did the ablative coating buy applying Tamiya cement, not the thin stuff but the thicker stuff. I then used a cut down brush to stipple the surface. I think it could have been rougher, but i`m OK with it. Darn!! just found the pitot tubes, nose pitot and the exhaust cans that all still need to be painted. Hi ho, hi ho it`s off to paint i go.... Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chuck540z3 Posted April 5, 2009 Share Posted April 5, 2009 Good job with the ablative coating. Many builds have it so thick it looks like the bombs are wearing sheepskin! Yours are perfect for scale. BTW, I just bought a back-up set of exhaust cans made by some dude on ebay. Since I have another Tamiya cat in the stash, you can never have too many parts or options! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted April 9, 2009 Author Share Posted April 9, 2009 BTW, I just bought a back-up set of exhaust cans made by some dude on ebay. Since I have another Tamiya cat in the stash, you can never have too many parts or options! :lol: Man, When will it end!!?? ;) I finally have the build on the gear, and starting to do some of the final assembly. The mains are glued in and i used the Wolfpack wheels. They do look good and were a simple change. The nose gear is just mounted, i still have to put on the three lights on the gear. Tried to paint them on, but after 5(!!!) tries i gave up. I`m thinking of using Sharpies to do the lights, just don`t know if they have orange. I`m using a red Sharpie to do the gear bay door edges, just won`t clear coat them. I also did a wash on the red to dirty up the red a bit. The windscreen did have a bit of a gap, filled it with a bit of white glue. Not as good if i had done it early on, but i`ll live with it. I forgot to tint the front part green, can`t go back now. All the little stuff is going to take time, maybe sometime this long weekend i`ll ...almost be done, maybe ( ya right). Still have to paint the exhaust cans, can`t seem to get the color right, then theres the little box over the RIOs coaming, paint the pitots, control stick, pin the weapons and pylons.... Any way, a few pics for the night. You guys think the weathering is enough? Thinking of doing some post shading with MiG Pigments and adding more grime. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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